House at 1, Commonside West, opposite Three Kings Pond.

Grade II listed by Historic England:

Detached house, now offices. Early C18, with late C20 additions. Stucco. Steeply pitched machine tile roof to eaves. 2 storeys plus dormers. 3 windows wide plus single storeyed 1 bay wing to right and left. Central square headed entrance, pilastered and corniced. C19 6-panelled door, partly glazed. Square headed sashed windows, glazing bars. Band between storeys. Gabled casemented dormers. Front room to right of entrance fully panelled, early C18. Turned baluster staircase. Late C20 additions to rear not included in listing.

Occupants from Street Directories

1896 and 1904 : John RICHENS
1911 and 1915 : Mrs RICHENS
1925 : Thomas George BAKER, builder

John Richens, listed as a provisions merchant in trade directories has his business at 30-32 Tooley Street, London Bridge. He died 27 Feb 1907, and his probate, dated 18 Apr 1907 showed he left his widow Fanny £18,685 19s. 6d. (around £2.2 million in 2019 values)

Mr T.G. Baker was the secretary of the Mitcham Wanderers Football Club as referred to in the Norwood News – Friday 01 August 1930

MITCHAM WANDERERS.

Opportunity to be Given to Local Talent.

The football season Is now rapidly approaching and Mitcham Wanderers are preparing to uphold their position in the field. Their trial games will shortly be taking place, the dates of which will be announced in these columns. In the meantime, any first-class footballers who wish to get a trial should communicate with the secretary, Mr. T. G. Baker, Newton House, Mitcham. The Wanderers are anxious to give local talent every encouragement, and their two teams are engaged in the London League (premier and second divisions). hopes are entertained that some some promising footballers will be found in the district to seize the opportunity of displaying their prowess to a wider circle than has been found possible heretofore.

The house was damaged by a bomb in 1940 as reported in the Norwood News – Friday 27 September 1940

Football Secretary’s House Bombed

T. G. Baker, secretary of Tooting & Mitcham United has resigned-temporarily.

His home was badly damaged when a bomb fell nearby, and Mr Baker is moving out of the district for the time being. Mr W. Mayes will act a secretary while he is away.

The death of Mr T.G. Baker was referred to in the Norwood News – Friday 04 September 1959:

MR. & MRS. I. PECK and family and other relatives wish to thank all who kindly wrote or sent floral tributes on the death of Mr. T. G. Baker, of Newton House, Mitcham. Also thanks to the staff of St. Helier Hospital.

Land at the rear of the property was developed as a pair of semi-detached houses in Langdale Avenue, as numbers 49 and 51, according to planning permission MIT1986, which was granted retrospectively on 27th March 1953.

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Maps are reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.